Supporting device



June 1 1929- v. c. JOHANSSON SUPPORTING DEVICE 2 Sheets- Sheet Filed July 23, '1928 June 11, 1929. IV C JOHANSLSON 1 1,717,156

' SUPPORTING DEVICE Filed July 23,.- 1928 2 SheetS Sheet 2 Y C Johansson Bflwaadh y Attorney Patented June 11, 1929.

UNITED STATES VICTOR CARL JOI-IANSSON, OF LONG ISLAND CITY, NEW YORK.

SUPPORTING DEVICE.

Application filed July 23, 1928. Serial No. 294,904.

The present invention relates to improvements in supporting or suspension devices and has for its principal object to provide a structure that may be attached to walls,

ceilings, or the like, for suspending a p111- rality of independently movable carriers, each of which has associated therewith asuspension hook.

The prime object of the invention is to provide a supporting structure of the above mentioned character that is designed more especially for use beneath the shelves in a closet, whereby coifee and tea cups may be supported in a suspended manner in a row beneath the shelf.

A further object is to provide a supporting device of the above mentioned. character wherein each of the carriersis formed with a means for receiving a block to which the shank of the suspension hook is attached, the block being arranged in each carrier in such a manner as to permit the hook to be positioned in any predetermined direction prior to the disposition of the carrier within the stationary track member.

A further object is to provide a supporting device of the above mentioned char acter that includes complementary means between the stationary track and the independently movable carriers, whereby said carriers may be supported in' the track member in a frictional manner against casual movement, the carriers being inserted and removed with respect to the stationary track from either end thereof.

A further object is to provide a supporting device of the above mentioned character which is simple in construction, inexpensive, strong and durable, and further well adapted to the purpose for which it is designed.

Other objects of the invention will become apparent as the nature of the invention proceeds and when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings.

In'the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this application, and wherein like reference characters designate like parts throughout the views:

Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of the supporting device embodying my invention, showing the same attached to the bottom face of a shelf.

Figure 2 is a sectional view, taken approximately on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view, taken ap-' proximately on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary detail perspective view of one end portion of the stationary track unit.

Figure 5 is a detail perspective view of one of the carriers.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view of one of the hooks and the block carried by the shank thereof, and I Figure 7 is an elevational view of one of the hooks, showing the manner in which the block is secured on the end of the shank.

In the drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown the preferred embodiment of my invention, the numeral'l designates generally the stationary track unit that is adapted to extend longitudinally beneath a support, such as the shelf'in a closet and which shelf is denoted by the lett'er A in Figure 1. The track 1 is of such length as to terminate inwardly of the respective ends of the shelf to facilitate the ready insertion and removal of the independent carriers and the hooks associated therewith, as suggested in Figure 1. I

The track unit consists of a strip of metal that is so bent as to form a top portion 2,

which top portion constitutes the intermediate portion of the'strip while the longitudinal edge portions of said strip are bent back beneath the top portions as at 3 and 4 respectively, the longitudinal free edges of the strip being slightly spaced with respect to each other, to form a longitudinally extending guide slot 5, as shown in Figures 2 and 4 of the drawings, and the purpose of which will be presently described. The bends are slightly rounded as indicated at 6, while the top forming portion 2 is so constructedat its longitudinal central portion as to form a substantially inverted channeled portion 7 the base of whichis formed with openings 8 to accommodate fastening screws 9 that are driven into the bottom of the support A as clearly indicated in the drawings. 4

The channeled portion 7 extends for the full length of the strip and as is clearly suggested in Figure 2, the portions of the top 2 gradually bulge upwardly from the respective sides of the inverted channeled portion to the bends 6.

The invention further comprehends the provision of a plurality of carriers, such as is shown at 10, in Figure 5, and each carrier comprises a rectangular shaped strip of spring metal, the end portions of which are rolledbaekupon themselves to form inturned beads or lips 11, that frictionally engage within the respective bends 6 formed in the stationary track, unit 1, as shown in Figure 2. The body portion 12 of each carrier has formed in its center a rectangular shaped depressed socket forming portion 13, that will slidably fit between the longitudinal free edges of the track 1, for operation in the guide slot 5, as also suggested in Figure 2, and an opening 14- is formed in the bottom of this socket13, as clearly shown in Figure The invention further comprehends the provision of an article suspension hook 15 that has its shank 16 formed with a head 17, on its free end, and this shank has its free end portion embedded. rigidly within a rectangular shaped block 18, so that the blocks and the hooks will constitute a unitary structure. It is of course, to be understood that the block 18 is not attached to the headed end of the shank, until said shank has been disposed upwardly through. the opening 14 in the depressed socket 18 of each carrier, andv the block is of such sire as to snugly fit within the socket 13, and: in this manner, the carrier and the hook will form a unitary structure, that is to say the hook cannot be removed from the carrier, but is capable of being positioned so that the hook may face either the front or back or either side by raising upwardly on the hook, to disengage the block from its socket and then by turning the hook to the desired position and again lowering the same until the block enters the socket again, as is shown in Figure 2, and when the block is positioned in the socket, the hook cannot turn with respect to the carrier.

Inthe present instance, the support is utilized for supporting tea cups or coffee cups in a closet, and any number of these slidable carriers 10, togetherwvith the hooks carried thereby can be positioned in the track unit 1', by sliding the same'in said track from either end, and the carriers may be independently moved when positioned in the track unit for properly spacing the same with respect to each other.

When the parts are arranged shown in Figure 1, a cup can be readily andeasily attached or removed from any one of the hooks, without necessitating the removalof the carrier and its hook-from the track unit, and due to its simplicity, the supporting device can be readily and easily attachechand when in position will not necessitate any adjustment. The depressed socket 13 will move along Withinthe'guideblocks 5 while theblocks 18 will operate in the inverted channeled portion 7 and the inturnedlhas or beads 11 will frictionally engage with the inner faces of the bends 6, so that the carriers cannot be casually removed or displaced from the track unit, but are capable of manual manipulation either to remove the carrier from. the track unit or for adjusting the same when positioned in the track unit.

The use of a supporting device of the above mentioned character, will obviate the necessity of having to form a series of holes in the bottom of the shelf for attaching the cup supporting-hooks, as must now necessarily be done with the type of cup suspension hooks now in use. Furthermore, astructure of't his character may be immufactured. at avery low cost, and the same will, at all times, be positive and eflicie'nt in carrying out the purposes for which it is design'edl While I have shown the preferred embodiment ofthe invention, it is to-be understood that various changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to, without departing from thespirit of the invention or the scope of the-a mendedclaim;

I claim:

In a device of the class described, the combination of a suspension hook'providedwith an upwardly disposed shank, anon-circular head carried by the upper end of the shank, a track unit adapted to be secured toa support, said track unit includinga top, sides and a bottom, the bottom being formed with a longitudinal slot, the intermediate portion. of the top being bent to provide an inverted channel, a earrier'adaptedfor removable and slidable disposition within the track unit, said carrier including a: body portionhaving its ends bent for frictional engagement with the respective sides of the tnack unit, a noncircular socket forming portion arranged in the body of the carrier for disposition within the longitudinal slot in the bot-tonrof th etra ck unit, the shank of the hook extending upwardly through the socket, said non-circular head being adapted for disposition within the socket and also operable within the inverted channeled portion.

In testimony whereofl atlix my signature.

VICTOR CARL JOHANSSON 

